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The Walt Disney community thread: the Man, the Mouse, and their legacy.

xeris

Member
So I did something bad...

I'm going to the Halloween Party AND the Christmas Party.

I love the holidays, and I love Disney...as someone who had literally almost next to nothing growing up it's nice that I can take my family out and not feel broke.

Questions again for my Disney Army:

My wife's concerned about not being able to do any rides when we go to the Not So Scary Halloween Party, we can go in the gates at 4, and then if I'm correct stay until 12 and in that time frame can we ride rides or only at 7?

Do you think we have time to do the Party, Parade, and take pictures with characters, I love taking the pictures but everyone watns to do everything as well...so what do you guys think and who do you think will be there?

Christmas Party

I can't wait this one will probably be even more magical...same routine as the Halloween one I'm assuming?

You MIGHT not be able to get any Fast Pass + for the time between 4 and 7 but people's results have varied. We plan on just grabbing what's open when we get there until 7. Last time we did it that way as well, but that was before FP+ so going to be interesting how that changes things.

I love the Christmas party more, but then I'm more a Christmassy kinda guy. If you have the time, stop by and see some of the resort decorations, especially Grand Floridian and Animal Kingdom Lodge. I found the party itself to be more laid back than the Halloween one as well, although that can change the closer to the actual holiday you get.
 

Nelo Ice

Banned
whenever people talk about going to disneyworld on a regular basis like it's nothing, I feel so jealous. Still, I will be going next summer so.....hell yeah!

I work here atm so I can go to parks whenever I feel like it. First time here too lol. Also for everyone going to Food and Wine try not throw up otherwise I might have to clean it up!.
 

Christopher

Member
You MIGHT not be able to get any Fast Pass + for the time between 4 and 7 but people's results have varied. We plan on just grabbing what's open when we get there until 7. Last time we did it that way as well, but that was before FP+ so going to be interesting how that changes things.

I love the Christmas party more, but then I'm more a Christmassy kinda guy. If you have the time, stop by and see some of the resort decorations, especially Grand Floridian and Animal Kingdom Lodge. I found the party itself to be more laid back than the Halloween one as well, although that can change the closer to the actual holiday you get.

Tell us mroe about it1
 

xeris

Member
Tell us mroe about it1

The biggest part is I'm a sucker for the theming. The cookies and hot chocolate and the "snow" on main street as well as the lights and tree. It's also the only time of year they have my favorite character, Scrooge McDuck, out and about. Some people don't like it because they don't change the rides except for the "Jingle Cruse" like Disneyland does, but that doesn't bother me at all. I like the parade and fireworks as well, although right at Christmas if I remember right they make that available outside of the party. It's kinda hard to explain, but all that adds to an extra level of magic over everything.

Just to compare, I like the Halloween party, but it strikes me as more busy. I felt a lot more rushed to see and do everything. I enjoyed both, though. Personal preferences and all that. Oh and you probably know this but Halloween party is the only time they let adults wear costumes in the park. For some reason that kinda takes away from the experience for me just a touch. That said, we're going to be at the party on the 9th and my son's Iron Man costume just showed up today so looking forward to snagging those bags of candy for myse... I mean him.
 
i'm planning on going to disney world around halloween for my girlfriend's birthday. we'll be there for 4 days.

we've never been to florida so i'm not exactly sure how this will all pan out. i'm debating between the Hilton Orlando Convention Center or Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort.

we'll be going to both disney world and universal studios.

will we need to rent a car? or are there shuttles that can take us around (mainly the airport and the parks)?

Staying inside Disney does afford you the ability to use the bus system to get around within Disney property. So staying at Caribbean beach would be much easier to get around while in Disney.

Getting to Universal should be doable without a car but I'm not entirely sure of the logistics in that as Disney doesn't haven't shuttle to Universal like the outside Disney resorts do.

Disney also provides a bus shuttle from the airport but I don't remember whether that's for vacation club only or not.

Either way staying inside Disney makes Disney much easier to navigate and also helps with the illusion of keeping the Disney theme going everywhere.
 

Christopher

Member
The biggest part is I'm a sucker for the theming. The cookies and hot chocolate and the "snow" on main street as well as the lights and tree. It's also the only time of year they have my favorite character, Scrooge McDuck, out and about. Some people don't like it because they don't change the rides except for the "Jingle Cruse" like Disneyland does, but that doesn't bother me at all. I like the parade and fireworks as well, although right at Christmas if I remember right they make that available outside of the party. It's kinda hard to explain, but all that adds to an extra level of magic over everything.

Just to compare, I like the Halloween party, but it strikes me as more busy. I felt a lot more rushed to see and do everything. I enjoyed both, though. Personal preferences and all that. Oh and you probably know this but Halloween party is the only time they let adults wear costumes in the park. For some reason that kinda takes away from the experience for me just a touch. That said, we're going to be at the party on the 9th and my son's Iron Man costume just showed up today so looking forward to snagging those bags of candy for myse... I mean him.

Awesome I can not WAIT :-D
 
i'm planning on going to disney world around halloween for my girlfriend's birthday. we'll be there for 4 days.

we've never been to florida so i'm not exactly sure how this will all pan out. i'm debating between the Hilton Orlando Convention Center or Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort.

we'll be going to both disney world and universal studios.

will we need to rent a car? or are there shuttles that can take us around (mainly the airport and the parks)?

The shuttles within WDW are available to everyone. I would recommend using them even if you have a car. If you parked a car at a park that's already closed and you're at another, they'll still bus you to that park to get your car. If you stay on site and are flying in to MCO, you'll get complimentary bus service to your resort. Just be sure to schedule a ride with Disney's Magical Express (Google it!) since they will need to know your flight #, arrival, passengers etc. If you opt to take the DME you can also use the baggage service where they will pick up the bags for you and deliver them to your room later on in the day, so you don't have to pick up your luggage when you get to MCO.

How many days do you plan on going to Universal? Paying for a roundtrip fare with Mears shuttle might be the best option. It's like $18 per person per roundtrip and they'll pick you up from your Disney resort. I don't know how taxi services like Uber and Lyft are in Orlando but that could also be an option.

Even though I live closer to Disneyland than WDW, sometimes WDW comes out cheaper due to the complimentary transportation. Unless you're eager to some exploring on your own, let someone else do all the driving for you. It'll be more relaxing that way.
 

TEJ

Member
So, I ordered my first smartphone the other day. The larger version of the iphone 6 with 128 gigs of memory. I will be sure to take plenty of pictures and share them next year.

Also, last week I bought tickets to the lion king musical which will be playing in san antonio this december. My first time seeing it, i'm pretty excited.

Havn't rewatched any disney animation in a week, but if captain america tws counts as a disney movie {which it does} yeah i've been rewatching that.

disney infinity 2.0 is coming out soon, not very interested in it. wish they'd make a dedicated infinity to all their hand drawn movies instead of pixar or marvel characters.

Kinda wish that wayforward would do a chip and dales nes remake. Didn't ducktales sell well? I also liked the castle of illusion remake, the one with the grant kirkhope music.
 
Staying inside Disney does afford you the ability to use the bus system to get around within Disney property. So staying at Caribbean beach would be much easier to get around while in Disney.

Getting to Universal should be doable without a car but I'm not entirely sure of the logistics in that as Disney doesn't haven't shuttle to Universal like the outside Disney resorts do.

Disney also provides a bus shuttle from the airport but I don't remember whether that's for vacation club only or not.

Either way staying inside Disney makes Disney much easier to navigate and also helps with the illusion of keeping the Disney theme going everywhere.

I agree. Staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge was the best. We could see zebras from our balcony!
 
I agree. Staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge was the best. We could see zebras from our balcony!

Stayed there not too long after it opened. Absolutely beautiful resort, sitting on the balcony during a thunderstorm looking out at all the different animals was awesome. Those bus wait times though... No Bueno.

Old key West is my jam though, such a laid back secluded atmosphere.
 

Christopher

Member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf7QYlARp4g

I am BEYOND excited for this Halloween Party & Christmas Party. Really makes you feel like a kid for the holidays. I might drag my little one but he tires out easily.

411Pa19PnoL._AA160_.jpg

We purchased these shirts, so if you see us say hi!

So it looks like we have...
  • The Boo To You Parade
  • Hall-O-Wishes
  • Trick Or Treating
  • Villians Dance/Celebration

I just hope we end up taking some good pictures, do you guys think the PhotoPass has Halloween Photo Ops lined up? I am so excited - apparently you can only get Jack and Sally or The Seven Dwarfs for Photos as well...decisions decisions...
 
The Halloween party is a lot of fun, but I don't have any kids so I use it as a way to get short waits and just enjoy the ambience, which is plentiful. I'm not waiting for candy or autographs and I'm fine with the parade being in the background, I don't have to stand and watch the whole thing. Even at the steep price, it's worth doing just for the whole vibe and late hours, and of course all the extra stuff for the kids. I'm doing the xmas party for the first time this year in early November for the same reasons.
 
thanks for all the responses everyone.

Staying inside Disney does afford you the ability to use the bus system to get around within Disney property. So staying at Caribbean beach would be much easier to get around while in Disney.

Getting to Universal should be doable without a car but I'm not entirely sure of the logistics in that as Disney doesn't haven't shuttle to Universal like the outside Disney resorts do.

Disney also provides a bus shuttle from the airport but I don't remember whether that's for vacation club only or not.

Either way staying inside Disney makes Disney much easier to navigate and also helps with the illusion of keeping the Disney theme going everywhere.

as much as possible, i want to stay within the disney compound. i've had really good experiences with their staff at disneyland and i'm assuming they have the same hospitality there.

How many days do you plan on going to Universal? Paying for a roundtrip fare with Mears shuttle might be the best option. It's like $18 per person per roundtrip and they'll pick you up from your Disney resort. I don't know how taxi services like Uber and Lyft are in Orlando but that could also be an option.

Even though I live closer to Disneyland than WDW, sometimes WDW comes out cheaper due to the complimentary transportation. Unless you're eager to some exploring on your own, let someone else do all the driving for you. It'll be more relaxing that way.

we'll only be staying at universal for one day.

i've been a disneyland premium annual pass holder for the last year and renewed my pass for this year. looking over some of the prices, it doesn't seem too bad compared to what i've spent staying just 2 nights at the disneyland hotel ($900 for valentine's weekend earlier this year).

that shuttle will probably be what we'll be using. thanks for the tip!

I agree. Staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge was the best. We could see zebras from our balcony!

my girlfriend is not too fond of animals, we live in san diego so it's nothing new for us to see exotic animals.

if the price is comparable, i'll see about staying there for my own personal interests.

the magic number is anything under 2 grand (including tickets + park hopper) total for the room.

while the hilton is attractive from that point of view, i want that disney experience LOL
 
I just hope we end up taking some good pictures, do you guys think the PhotoPass has Halloween Photo Ops lined up? I am so excited - apparently you can only get Jack and Sally or The Seven Dwarfs for Photos as well...decisions decisions...

Yes, Photopass will be set up throughout the park. They even have special photos like the horseless carriage in front of the Haunted Mansion. Usually along the boardwalk between Liberty Square and Frontierland, there's a special photo with the three ghosts.

Pictures with the Seven Dwarfs are awesome, got to do it one year. There are no autographs, so the line moves relatively quickly.

we'll only be staying at universal for one day.

i've been a disneyland premium annual pass holder for the last year and renewed my pass for this year. looking over some of the prices, it doesn't seem too bad compared to what i've spent staying just 2 nights at the disneyland hotel ($900 for valentine's weekend earlier this year).

A shuttle is the way to go if you're only going for one day. Plus you'd have to pay for a rental car and parking fees there just for one day. Honestly, it's a hassle getting in and out of there if you're not familiar with it.

If you're already a passholder with Disneyland, there is a Premier Passport you could upgrade to that includes WDW and Disneyland. Most people find that a week or two at WDW more than pays for the extra cost for CA residents.
Plus you already know some of the perks of being a passholder. You can get room discounts, discounts to the Halloween/Christmas parties, special merchandise, discounts on dining. And it already include park hopper. The best thing to do is call Disney World and have them run some of the numbers for you. I love calling them because they'll spend an hour on the phone and not even bat an eye at it just going through different options. And being on hold isn't that bad either.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disney-premier-passport-ticket/
 
Any thoughts here on Frozen at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot? Seen a LOT of controversy over this in other places.

Yeah it's been discussed in the theme park community thread and the general consensus there tends to be more negative. I'm not like an Epcot purist that doesn't want any characters or whatever but I think a park that already has capacity issues should be adding attractions, not replacing them. I guess the issue here is that Norway already has an actual ride and a Frozen themed one doesn't fit anywhere else in Epcot. I think they should have definitely tried for Hollywood Studios, though.

as much as possible, i want to stay within the disney compound. i've had really good experiences with their staff at disneyland and i'm assuming they have the same hospitality there.

we'll only be staying at universal for one day.

i've been a disneyland premium annual pass holder for the last year and renewed my pass for this year. looking over some of the prices, it doesn't seem too bad compared to what i've spent staying just 2 nights at the disneyland hotel ($900 for valentine's weekend earlier this year).

that shuttle will probably be what we'll be using. thanks for the tip!


my girlfriend is not too fond of animals, we live in san diego so it's nothing new for us to see exotic animals.

if the price is comparable, i'll see about staying there for my own personal interests.

the magic number is anything under 2 grand (including tickets + park hopper) total for the room.

while the hilton is attractive from that point of view, i want that disney experience LOL

If you're a current premium AP holder at DLR I would crunch some numbers and see if getting a Premier pass ends up being a viable option. Unless you're getting discounted passes, a DLR premium AP + a 4 day park hopper at WDW comes pretty close to the price of a Premier Pass. You would just upgrade and pay the difference from your current pass and you'll be eligible for hotel discounts on both coasts. You can still book AP rates even if you don't upgrade your pass until your arrival. While the dining discounts aren't as great for WDW AP holders as DLR AP holders (there's a separate discount card for that) there are still a few plus merch discounts.
 
Any thoughts here on Frozen at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot? Seen a LOT of controversy over this in other places.

Furious about it, not only because of the extraordinarily dubious placement in World Showcase and killing a modestly fun, reasonably popular (and of course nostalgic) attraction, but also because Disney won't even cough up the fucking dough to do a legitimate attraction for such a wildly successful movie. And will probably take 2 years to do it. It's just staggeringly short sighted. Epcot needs additions and enhancements, not overlays. But this is the new "imagineering" (do they even have the balls to use that term anymore?). If they drop the ball with Star Wars too, then I'll really start to wonder if we'll ever see something to truly wow us at WDW again.

And I also find it absurd that I can't get a fastpass for the 7 Dwarfs Mine Train 50 days out from my trip (actually already "gone" at 12AM the moment I could first make them, 60 days out). The recent tweaks and limitations to Fastpass+ suck horribly. Gonna be my last trip for a few years. Even in the face of a bunch of crummy decisions I will always be fascinated by the place.
 
Crossposting from the SO thread but this is my g/f, Disneybounding as one of the Incredibles on Dapper Day last Friday.


We didn't get a chance to see the characters as we didn't know the exact time they would be out, but we finally asked and she will be wearing the outfit to take a pic with Mr. and Mrs. Incredible pretty soon. I don't have pics with her as they were on her camera and she hasn't uploaded them yet :(
 
Just found out today that Haunted Mansion will be closed during our visit.

That is not cool, as that was one of the rides we were looking forward to.
 
Any thoughts here on Frozen at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot? Seen a LOT of controversy over this in other places.

I didn't know until today that it'd be replacing the Maelstrom, I thought they were just adding Frozen to the theme in the same way Ratatouille is themed into the French Pavillion.
Ugh, that sucks. I don't mind that they're adding new stuff, but there's no reason to add it to existing stuff in an already sparse park. The Maelstrom is one of the few unique and strange rides that Disney World still has; it's not the greatest thing there, but it's certainly unique.
 

zeemumu

Member
Just found out today that Haunted Mansion will be closed during our visit.

That is not cool, as that was one of the rides we were looking forward to.

When are you going? They already finished renovating it for Haunted Mansion Holiday so it isn't closed anymore. Technically it should be open until they change it back into the normal Haunted Mansion at the beginning of next year.
 
When are you going? They already finished renovating it for Haunted Mansion Holiday so it isn't closed anymore. Technically it should be open until they change it back into the normal Haunted Mansion at the beginning of next year.
I'm guessing they're talking about Magic Kingdom. Refurbs are set for Dec 1-19.
 
Jailer when do you think the crowds aren't too insane for the Christmas party?
Last year I went to a sold out party during the first week of December and it wasn't crowded at all. They only sell so many tickets. The problem is that enough people will make character lines a decent wait. It'll help to find a list of characters that will be there and know where they all are. Make priorities just in case you can't meet all the ones you want to meet. Attractions, parades, and fireworks shouldn't be an issue so do that when you feel like. Some characters only stick around until 11-11:30 or so. You can start lining up for characters before 7.
 

xeris

Member
Jailer when do you think the crowds aren't too insane for the Christmas party?

I'm not Jailer, but in general early December is pretty good. Long enough after Thanksgiving but well before school breaks. If missing haunted mansion would bug you, try for early November. Either should be good, but they sometimes slow roll out the decorations so early November isn't quite as festive.
 
We leave on Tuesday, got fast passes for Maelstrom on its last day of operation and will try and ride The Backlot tour on its last day as well

I'm going to eat so much junk food
 

Christopher

Member
So our plan is to ce in MK at 4 try to ride a few rides:

630 line up for Jack and Sally
See the parade
See Micky Minnie and Donald Daisy
Watch Hallowishes
See The evil witch
And trick or treat :)

Is this all do able Jailer???
 
So our plan is to ce in MK at 4 try to ride a few rides:

630 line up for Jack and Sally
See the parade
See Micky Minnie and Donald Daisy
Watch Hallowishes
See The evil witch
And trick or treat :)

Is this all do able Jailer???

Jack and Sally will be the most difficult. It sucks because those two don't always come out right at 7 so the wait is longer. Getting in line at 6:30, the wait could still be an hour after they do show up (another ~30 mins) so that is a pretty big chunk of time. By the time that is done you'll be close to the first parade start. Main street gets really congested starting at 5:30 as large groups are forced to leave and others show up so plan accordingly if Jack and Sally meet in the town plaza again.

I do strongly recommend the second parade. A lot of people leave after the fireworks. But if you can find good spots then go for it. Otherwise lines elsewhere are shortened during the parades. If I'm not mistaken, both parades will start in Frontierland. Not only is this a least crowded spot, but will also save you a lot of time so you can get going as soon as you see all if it. I know it's not the most popular spot but it's worth a consideration, especially since there will be construction walls in the castle hub. Keep that in mind when viewing the fireworks also.

Donald and Daisy meet together and lines should be short after 10pm or so but overall I don't think the line will be long so if you're in the area, check 'em out. Mickey and Minnie are always pretty short since they usually have multiples. If you're referring to the Evil Queen from Snow White, I think her only appearance is right after the villain stage show in front of the castle which occurs 3-4 times a night. The villains mingle for like 15 mins and leave. If you want to meet more than one you may have to show up a few times. You're gonna have to pay close attention to the schedules for that.

Trick or treating is easy enough. If you want a lot of candy, bring your own bag or ask a cast member in a shop for a bigger one if you don't want to carry more than one. The one they give you will fill up quickly as they give you candy by the handfuls.
 

Christopher

Member
No hard ticket I linked my confirmation to NY Disney experience aop and the things to get in the 4-6 time frame is very hard.

I walked away with Haunted Mansion and The Mountain Roller coaster good idea?

I gotta line up for Jack and Sally early I figure if I get them our of the way the other character waits will be a breeze
 
No hard ticket I linked my confirmation to NY Disney experience aop and the things to get in the 4-6 time frame is very hard.

I walked away with Haunted Mansion and The Mountain Roller coaster good idea?

I gotta line up for Jack and Sally early I figure if I get them our of the way the other character waits will be a breeze

Yeah people get into that holiday spirit so Haunted Mansion sees longer waits. A FP for that is good. Not sure if you mean Thunder Mountain or Space Mountain but either of those would be good choices.
 

xeris

Member
No hard ticket I linked my confirmation to NY Disney experience aop and the things to get in the 4-6 time frame is very hard.

I walked away with Haunted Mansion and The Mountain Roller coaster good idea?

I gotta line up for Jack and Sally early I figure if I get them our of the way the other character waits will be a breeze

Just want to warn you to be careful. Some are saying on one of the Disney boards I read that being able to pick up fp+ with a party ticket is a loophole that could be closed at any time. It use to be you had to have your ticket activated at the park entrance to pick up fp's and they might go back to that. That said, it's worth a shot. I'm not going to do that on the off off chance that happens and they activate a day on my normal ticket I didn't plan on using. Even though it probably won't happen, I don't fully trust the new system yet.
 

Christopher

Member
Just want to warn you to be careful. Some are saying on one of the Disney boards I read that being able to pick up fp+ with a party ticket is a loophole that could be closed at any time. It use to be you had to have your ticket activated at the park entrance to pick up fp's and they might go back to that. That said, it's worth a shot. I'm not going to do that on the off off chance that happens and they activate a day on my normal ticket I didn't plan on using. Even though it probably won't happen, I don't fully trust the new system yet.

Don't jinx me!!!
 
Fast Passes used to not be available for hard ticket events. I wouldn't count on it too much. By all means, use the FP+ if it's there, but don't expect it to not change. You could also call Guest Relations at Magic Kingdom and double check with them.

Second parade is by far easier to see without the throngs of small children and families standing in front. Most families tend to watch the first parade and fireworks, and then leave. Try to stay in an open area for the fireworks as they do shoot them off all around the park. Fantasyland gets blocked off from Castle to Small World during the fireworks due to the fall out. Tomorrowland is not that great except on the first bridge. There's also the Fireworks Desert Party (https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/tomorrowland-terrace-fireworks-dessert-party/). Many actually watch from the Tom Sawyer bridge (it's not the high bridge that goes in front of Splash, but the wooden one by the rafts to the island. Frontierland is also pretty decent for the parade. Just remember, step off is in Frontierland, preceded by the headless horseman run. The parade takes about 10-15 minutes to reach Main Street.

On a side note, don't plan on riding Splash during or immediately after the fireworks. Because the fireworks are set off right by Splash backstage, the smoke has a tendency to set off the fire alarms. Which means they have to shut down, walk the ride, and then re-open. Just depends on the wind direction/speed.
 

Christopher

Member
Thanks for the great tips what do you suggest we do during the first parade? All the charat wrs are gone during parades correct?
 
All this talk about the halloween party is getting me excited. Less than 2 weeks now until I'm going to Disneyland for it.

Decided on dressing up as Oswald. Not going too crazy, but it should be fun.
 
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